Sewing needle vs piercing needle

There are many minor to major things that contribute to making the overall look and personality of a person. Many things keep on updating and changing with time while some remain the same, one such thing is piercing. Piercing is being done by people all around the world from the beginning of time.

People love to have piercings so that they can adorn themselves with jewelry. With time and the advancement of the world, the method to pierce one’s body has also evolved. Now people can pierce their nose, ears, lips, or any other part of their body using a piercing needle or piercing gun. One interesting thing is that some people use sewing needles as well but is it safe to use sewing needles for piercing?

In this article, we will not only talk about sewing needles vs piercing needle but many other related and important topics as well, just like we did in sewing thread vs fly tying thread.

We will mention the risks that come with using the wrong tool and what is a better option to pierce with. So, let’s just start with the topic.

Can you use a sewing needle for piercing?

piercing my ears at home 😎 (with a sewing needle)

You can use a sewing needle for nose piercing as it can cause a hole but it is not considered safe. There are many other reasons as well that support this claim to be true. Some major reasons include:

• The sewing needle is a household product that has a lot of germs.
• It is not sharp enough and the tip could be dull as well.
• It is not hollow which may cause more pain.
• The holes will be small for most jewelry.
• Difficult to sterilize such products.
• Can lead to causing infections.
• It May result in a swollen wound.

Is a sewing needle better than a piercing needle?

It depends on the purpose you are using needles for. If you are going to use a needle for clothing or stitches, a sewing needle is just the best but if you want to pierce a body part, a sewing needle is not a great option.

So, both needle types are only suitable for their intended functions and should not be switched for opposite purposes.

What size of needles can be used for piercing?

You can use needles of varying sizes for piercing different parts of your body. On average, a needle size of 16G-22G will be enough for most piercing activities. The size varies depending upon body parts and the size of jewelry you will wear.

For example, if you are piercing earlobes, an 18G-20G needle will be perfect but if you want to pierce on areas like conch, rook, helix, or tragus, you need to use a 16G-18G size needles.

What types of needles are used for piercing?

It is clear that needles of different types are used for different parts of your body, just like we change needle sizes. However, there are some major categories or types of needles used for piercing purposes including:

• Hollow
• Cannula
• Curved needles

Difference between sewing needle and piercing needle

SEWING NEEDLE	PIERCING NEEDLE
The sewing needle has a pointed tip.	The piercing needle has a triangular tip.
It is a filled tool.	It is hollow to pierce through the skin easily.
The other end has a hole (eye) to hold the thread.	Have a regular end without any eye or hole.
Made of nickel and carbon steel wire. To resist corrosion, some needles are made of 18K gold plated as well.	Mostly made using nickel and carbon steel wire.
Comes in varying lengths and sizes.	Comes in varying lengths and sizes.
Sharpen using traditional or normal procedures and tools.	Advanced lasers are used to cut and sharpen these needles.
Makes small size holes not more than the size of thread.	Pierce a large hole compatible with almost all kinds of jewelry.

Can I use a sewing needle for nose piercing?

A swing needle is a regular household product that can have a lot of germs and sterilizing such objectives is also a mess. So, it is not a good idea to use a sewing needle for nose piercing or any other part of your body.

Can I use a sewing needle for lip piercing?

No, you should only use piercing needles for lips piercing because they are prone to causing infection in one place while getting a piercing from a sewing needle is also difficult.

The tip of the sewing machine is not sharp enough and may require a lot of pressure to pierce through your lips. This thing further increases the risks of injury.

Can I use a sewing needle to pierce the septum?

No, the sewing needle is too small to pierce through your spectrum. You may be able to get a piercing using a sewing needle, the hole will not be as large as it should be to let your jewelry pass through it. Plus, the risk of infection remains the same.

Can I use a sewing needle to pierce the belly button?

The belly button is a complex body part to pierce and you should only use a professional piercing needle for this purpose. The sewing needle is not sharp enough to make holes easily which may result in damaged tissue and a lot of pain and suffering as well.

Why is a piercing needle hollow?

All piercing needles are hollow in between so that they can become extremely sharp and go through the skin easily. Because of the hollowness, the needle simply cuts a small piece of skin from your ear, nose, lips, or any other area while making a good enough space for jewelry to go through this hole.

If the needle is filled, it will not be sharp enough and will cause more pain to create a large hole in the skin.

Is a piercing needle better than a piercing gun?

The straight answer is Yes. A piercing needle is a lot better than a piercing gun in many aspects. This is the reason that most well-known piercing centers in the world use needles instead of guns.

They only use guns if their customers ask, especially as people assume that piercing guns will cause less pain which is also a wrong assumption.

Why is needle piercing better than a piercing gun?

• Needles are clearer, clean, and neat.
• Needles piercing heals quickly.
• Needles are less painful than guns in the long run.
• A new needle is used each time for new customers.
• Needles cause enough space to wear almost all kinds of jewelry.
• Needles are accurate as you can create a hole at a 100% precise position

Why shouldn’t you use a piercing gun?

Piercing guns use a lot of force which can result in swollen and painful wounds for a long time. There are also cases where people have experienced damaged tissue and safety is also a concern while using a piercing gun.

• It is not very accurate as its body doesn’t let you see the exact point where the gun will pierce the skin.
• The wound takes a lot of time to heal completely.
• It causes a lot of pain.
• It is difficult to sterilize piercing guns efficiently.
• Piercing guns cause the skin to tear apart forcefully.
• Gun insert an earring while the wound is fresh and open.

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